2. MILKING HYGIENE
Good agricultural practices
Good agricultural practice (GAP)
|
Examples of suggested measures to achieve GAP |
Objective/Control measure |
| 2.1 |
Ensure milking routines do not injure cows or introduce contamination to milk | |
| 2.1.1 |
Uniquely identify individual animals |
| 2.1.2 |
Ensure appropriate udder preparation for milking |
| 2.1.3 |
Ensure consistent milking techniques |
| 2.1.4 |
Separate milk from sick or treated animals |
| 2.1.5 |
Ensure milking equipment is correctly installed and maintained |
| 2.1.6 |
Ensure a sufficient supply of clean water | |
– Use suitable and well maintained equipment for milking and milk storage
|
| 2.2 |
Ensure milking is carried out under hygienic conditions | |
| 2.2.1 |
Ensure housing environment is clean at all times |
| 2.2.2 |
Ensure milking area is kept clean |
| 2.2.3 |
Ensure the milkers follow basic hygiene rules | |
– Harvest milk under hygienic conditions
|
| 2.3 |
Ensure milk is handled properly after milking | |
| 2.3.1 |
Ensure milk is cooled in the specified time |
| 2.3.2 |
Ensure milk storage area is clean and tidy |
| 2.3.3 |
Ensure milk storage equipment is adequate to hold milk at the specified temperature |
| 2.3.4 |
Ensure unobstructed access for bulk milk collection | |
– Prevent occurrence of chemical residues in milk |
Fact sheet: Milking hygiene
Milking is the most important single activity on the dairy farm. Consumers demand high standards of milk quality, so milking management aims to minimize microbial, chemical and physical contamination. Milking management covers all aspects of the process of obtaining milk from cows quickly and effectively, while assuring the health of the cows and the quality of the milk.
Consistency in the day-to-day implementation of milking procedures is an important part of Good Agricultural Practices (GAP) for milking.
This Fact Sheet describes GAP to ensure milk is harvested and stored under hygienic conditions, and equipment used to harvest and store milk is well maintained. The suggested GAP for milking hygiene are set out under the following headings:
- Ensure milking routines do not injure cows or introduce contaminants in milk
- Ensure milking is carried out under hygienic conditions
- Ensure milk is handled properly after milking
Note: These GAP do not cover automatic milking for which IDF has published a separate “Code of Good Hygienic Practices for Milking with Automatic Milking Systems”, Bulletin of the IDF No. 386/2004, ISSN 0250-5118.
2.1 Ensure milking routines do not injure cows or introduce contaminants to milk
2.1.1 Uniquely identify individual animals
Cows should be easily identifiable by all people who come in contact with them. The systems used should be permanent and unique allowing individual animals to be identified from birth to death.
Individual cows that need to be identified for specific reasons ( for example fresh, dry, treated cows, or cows with abnormal milk through disease or animal treatments such as antibiotics) should be additionally identified.
2.1.2 Ensure appropriate udder preparation for milking
Only milk cows with clean, dry teats:
- wash and dry dirty teats;
- dry wet teats and udders before milking;
- have clean water available throughout the milking time.
Check udder and teats for any changes (for example clinical mastitis). Before a cow is milked, the foremilk should be extracted and checked for abnormalities. This may be a requirement in national legislation.
2.1.3 Ensure consistent milking techniques
Ensure good milking techniques; incorrect techniques can result in a higher mastitis risk and injury to the cow.
The correct technique is to:
- prepare cows well before milking;
- avoid unnecessary air ingress at cup attachment, if applicable;
- minimize overmilking;
- remove cups gently, if applicable.
2.1.4 Separate milk from sick or treated animals
Cows whose milk is unfit for human consumption should be milked last or with a separate bucket or system. Discard abnormal milk in a manner appropriate to the risk posed.
2.1.5 Ensure milking equipment is correctly installed and maintained
Ensure milking equipment is clean before each use. If mobile milking equipment is used, this may mean cleaning between each use.
Manufacturers’ and local, regional or national recommendations should be followed for construction, installation, performance and maintenance of the equipment used for milking. Follow the manufacturers’ instructions when using cleaning and disinfecting agents on milking equipment. Materials used for milking equipment that come into contact with milk and with cleaning and disinfecting fluids should be made from adequately resistant materials and should not impart a taint to milk.
Cleaning and disinfecting agents should be chosen and used to ensure that they do not have an adverse effect on the milk.
Follow the manufacturers’ instructions when using chemicals, pesticides or cleaning agents in the dairy and the milking shed. Store all chemicals, other than those in routine use, in a lockable area away from the dairy. Where required, all vermin, bird and insect control methods or products must be approved for use.
2.1.6 Ensure a sufficient supply of clean water
A sufficient supply of clean water should be available for milking operations and for cleaning equipment that comes into contact with milk.
2.2 Ensure milking is carried out under hygienic conditions
2.2.1 Ensure housing environment is clean at all times
A high standard of cleanliness should be maintained at all times in the housing area, where used. The housing area should be:
- designed to provide good drainage and ventilation and to avoid animal injury
- of suitable size and designed to match the size of the animal.
All stalls and beds should be kept clean and dry, with adequate bedding. Regularly clean or scrape passageways to remove manure.
2.2.2 Ensure milking area is kept clean
The milking area should be designed to allow it to be kept clean and tidy. It should:
- be easy to clean;
- have a clean water supply;
- have waste handling facilities;
- have sufficient temperature regulation and light.
Construct collecting yards to enable a high standard of cleanliness to be maintained.
2.2.3 Ensure the milkers follow basic hygiene rules
The milker should:
- wear suitable and clean working clothes;
- keep hands and arms clean especially when milking;
- cover cuts or wounds;
- not have any infectious disease.
2.3 Ensure milk is handled properly after milking
2.3.1 Ensure milk is cooled in the specified time
Cool milk as soon as possible after milking to the required storage temperature and within the specified time. Cooling times and storage temperatures should conform to limits set by national legislation.
2.3.2 Ensure milk storage area is clean and tidy
Milk should be stored away from the milking area. The milk storage area should:
- be clean and clear of accumulated rubbish, any products or chemical substances not in constant use and any feedstuffs;• have hand washing and drying facilities;
- be easy to clean and have a pest control system
2.3.3 Ensure milk storage equipment is adequate to hold milk at the specified temperature
Ensure milk storage equipment is cleaned before each use, preferably immediately after milk collection.
The storage equipment should be capable of holding milk at required temperature until collection time, and be constructed in materials that do not taint the milk.
Bulk tanks should be built to recognized standards and milk refrigeration systems should have a regular maintenance and service programme to prevent breakdowns. The bulk tank should be equipped with a thermometer to check the temperature of the milk and appropriate records kept of storage temperatures. Ensure that all the equipment is working properly.
2.3.4 Ensure unobstructed access for bulk milk collection
Provide unobstructed access to the milk storage area to enable the safe collection of milk. Access to the milk collection areas should be free of animal pathways. |